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Trump aims to remove waterway protections, aiding developers

Posted at 11:27 AM, Jan 23, 2020
and last updated 2020-01-23 12:27:29-05

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration appears ready to move ahead with its plan to remove protections for some of the nation's millions of miles, streams and arroyos.

The changes were promised by Trump in his first weeks in office. They would sharply scale back the government’s interpretation of which waterways qualify for protection against pollution and development under the half-century-old Clean Water Act.

Trump says he's targeting federal rules and regulations that impose unnecessary burdens on businesses. An announcement on a final rule is expected as soon as Thursday. The changes were sought by industry, developers and farmers, but opposed by environmental advocates and public health officials.